The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-05-31
CHICAGO'S GREAT STRIKE
SURE TO REACH A MOST CRITIC.
AL POINT
This Week - 1900 Men Idle and
Good Mechanics Are Leaving
the City.

CHICAGO, Ill, May S0.-The mex
six days are liable to witness the criti
cal period in the strike + the building
trades. For four weeks strike has fol
lowed strike, terminating in G loci
out, affecting 10 greater or less X
tent almost every trade in the city o.
Chicago. Fully 1900 men are idle
and it ia stated upon good authority
that over 1000 list class mechanics
have lett ths city. A careful estimate
shows ttat wsges TO the amount q
100000 have bsen lost to the strikers
1t is impossible to estimate the amonn;
OF capital VIII ch has been diverted
from the building trades. Well
known Eastern capitalists have in
structed their Chicago agents to make
no investments pending the adjust
ment of the strike, and in several
cases large enterprises will be- dropped
until NIX, year and perhaps forever.
The master mssors, real zing that 30
long as the trades unions vera g)v-
erned by their present laws and cu;-
toms, the strike was liable
to bs duplicated at any time,
resolved to make supreme
effort TO force the abolition OF the
abuses of which they were couspicu.
Gus victims. The code OF p, inciples
and working rules would, if enforced,
result in the complete abolition of the
unions as now constituted. The de-
velopments OF the last week have de-
monstrated. that f his is accomplished
it must be done by the master
masons. They FORMULATED the form OF
campaign and have asked the kindred
trades TO indorse their code Of princi-
PIES and follow ia their footsteps. The
response TO that appeal was not 80 en-
thusisstic as was expected by MestrL
Prusslng, Downey, Tappan and other
prominent contracting masons. Tue
master carpenters have adopted the
Plato m, but nullitied their action by
refusing to set any date upon which IT
was to 90 into effect. The recollection
OF desperate struggle with their men,
in which the horrors wers admltttd t.
be even, had restraining effect
upon this pCwaiful organization. A
resolution will be off>red a. the
next meeting the msster carpenters,
making nine hours days work, but
from present indications will be- de-
feated. The conservative element in
both master maeons and carpenters 10
composed Of those contrac ors almost
entirely dependent uoon union labjr
Ia many Cases another protracted
strike m ans bad bankruptcy in the
smaller contrac ing carpenters. Many
Of the leading master carpenters are
owners Of sash, door, blind and plan
ing mills, toa ownership OF which
gives them great advantage in strike
or Lockout An analysis OF the silus-
ton proves that the strike bias resolved
itself into contest between the mas
ter mssops and their employees, the
brick q : era aud hodcarriers, who have
formed all offensive and defensive al
lance. The other trades repre- 'ented
in the Builders and Traders Ex-
change are in state Of armed
neutrality, and viii Q in active
sympa by with the master mssonR,
are afraid to render any practical sup.
port. Tho master masons will
depend almost entirely upon brick
ayers from other cities. The next few
days will demonstrate to what extent
this source can be utilized. The an
8 wers to the advertisements on Satur-
day werc enc lursging, and it is he.
lieved that plenty Of good men can be
secured. The leaders of the brick az
ers promise thst no violence will he
offered to Any t the imported brick
layers. Every eff1ft will be useo,
however, to induce the new c)mers to
Join the union, and all tbs stratsgsms
ofmodern strikes will be brought into
nlar